A Safe Pair of Hands

by Ann Corbett

  Nick frowned. “These personal things... are they something that I should be aware of?”

  “Well... it was just that her mum has had some health problems recently, and Marcy found out today that the hospital wants to do some rather extensive tests... Marcy was upset and I think that her mum probably was as well...”

  “Yes, I would imagine so. Well since no harm has come from her absence and you have no complaints, then I suppose it must be okay.”

  She still looked a little worried though, and so he smiled reassuringly. “Honestly I have no issues with it, Sadie... I trust the two of you to work out your schedules between you. As long as there is at least of one of you in here at any time, to filter through all of the paperwork, then I am happy that we have some control up here.”

  She returned his smile with relief, and his lips widened into a grin.

  “Although I have to say you do look a bit frayed at the edges.”

  “Yes, I was just about to make myself a coffee... can I get one for you while I am at it?”

  He strolled over to Marcy's desk and sat in her chair.

  “Thank you, while you do that I will man the phones for you... just in case they ring.”

  “Thank you,” she scooped up her cup, and fled the room, anxious to make the drinks and get back so that Nick would feel free to return to his own office. He was the boss of the company and everything about her said that he should not be 'manning the phones'.

  She walked back carrying the two mugs, to find Nick talking on Marcy's phone.

  He gave her quick absent smile as she put the coffee down in front of him.

  “Yes, I approved that purchase order myself, so there should be no reason for delaying its processing.”

  “Do you want me to take over?” she whispered anxiously, but he just shook his head, and gave a little flick of his hand.

  “I sent it down to you myself, and I expect the order to be made to the supplier, by the end of today... no excuses please, just see that it gets sorted – I want this order to be fulfilled as quickly as possible.”

  He put the phone down shortly after, and Sadie just knew that even now that buyer was on the phone to the supplier and assuring that delivery of whatever it was would be made by the end of the following day.

  She sat down at her own desk and cupped her hands around her mug.

  “Oh by the way,” Nick said suddenly. “I called my cousin – Phillip up, like you suggested, and it seems like he needs just about everything for his flat.”

  She looked across at him. “So what will you do?”

  He shrugged his shoulders, and smiled a little smile. “I thought that I would take him shopping on Saturday – he has a long weekend off, and he has some money saved. I told him that I would like to contribute as well, something he was terribly grateful for... and I was hoping that you might want to tag along?”

  “Me? Why?”

  “Well you did such a nice job of your own home, and a woman's perspective is always good... two men together can get single minded, so we could do with some balance, if we are going to give him a nice first home... and just because I thought that it might be nice... and anyway I would very much like to introduce you to each other.”

  Her eyebrows lifted in surprise, he was over stating his cause a little bit, she thought; and he seemed a little anxious all of a sudden, almost as though he was afraid that she might refuse him.

  She smiled in reassurance, I would very much like that – thank you; after all you were so kind as to offer to host my dinner party on Friday.”

  He seemed to relax, and after a moment of silence, he began to tell her about the conversation that he had had with his nephew.

  It seemed that his parents and the rest of the family had cut him off totally, after his refusal to try to worm the family into Nick's life – and finances. And Nick was worried that Phillip might be a little lonely.

  “Does he have any friends?” she asked sympathetically, loneliness could be soul destroying, especially at this time of year.

  “I think there are maybe a couple of workmates, but other than that... I don't think so.”

  They sat chatting for a little while, but then Sadie glanced at her watch, and Nick stood up immediately. “It's gone five o'clock Sadie, so don't let me keep you any longer.” he paused for a moment. “How are you getting home by the way – do you need a lift?”

  Sadie slipped her coat on. “Oh I've got my car back thanks for asking, they brought it to the car park this morning.”

  *

  She got stuck in the rush hour traffic though, and so by the time that she got home she only had just over an hour to get ready for her date with Nick.

  She dove under the shower, and then wrapped in a towel she looked through her wardrobe.

  She had a pretty pink lacy dress, but it seemed a bit too summery.

  She thought that trousers and a top would not be suitable for the restaurant that Nick was taking her to.

  She dug deep into her wardrobe until she found what she was looking for.

  It was the alternative to her little black dress; it was her little blue dress.

  She dug out the silver strappy sandals and a bag that matched them perfectly, and then satisfied with her outfit she sat down at her dressing table, ready to curl her hair a little and dust on her makeup.

  She dressed quickly, and then flew back downstairs, to sit in her kitchen and sip tea, whilst she nibbled on a couple of biscuits. Dinner time and sandwiches at her desk seemed like a long time ago now.

  *

  The evening was lovely, Nick's eyes told her that she looked nice, and the restaurant was of a really nice quality.

  The owner fussed over them gently and made sure that they had everything that they wanted.

  And Nick's eyes told her that he had everything that he wanted.

  He had said that they would be able to talk, but most of the surroundings, the food, and the atmosphere were lost to Sadie as she sank under the gaze of Nick, and if anything was said, then she could not remember what that might have been.

  It was probably the most romantic evening of her life, and when Nick dropped her off at eleven thirty, she hoped very much that he would come inside, for an hour – or two... or even for the night.

  “It's late, and we are both tired,” he said regretfully as they stood outside her front door. “As much as I would have loved to; I won't come in tonight, Sadie.”

  “Oh well, if you are sure?” she was disappointed and she could not hide that from him. “Thank you for a lovely evening then.”

  He bent to kissed her on the mouth, and Sadie reached up her arms to wrap them around his neck.

  Nick pulled back before she could.

  “I'll see you in the morning... sweet dreams, my Sadie.” he stepped back, and with a little nod, she opened her door.

  “Good night, Nick.”

  *

  Sadie spent the rest of the week, working just down the corridor from Nick, but hardly ever seeing him.

  He was confusing her no end at the moment. He would look at her and his eyes told her that he wanted her; that his declaration of love was the truth, but at the moment she felt like he was keeping her at arm’s length, and she did not understand why.

  She popped into his office on the Tuesday morning, firstly to get his signature to authorise a payment, and secondly to confirm that she could still hold her family dinner at his place on the Friday night.

  “If you are sure that you are sure,” she said hesitantly.

  He smiled absently as he read through the document which she had brought in with her.

  “Yes, not only am I absolutely sure, I am very much looking forward to it...” he scribbled across the page and held it out to her. “We will have to confer and decide on the menu.”

  “Yes?”

  He smiled again, but his eyes were not keen so meet hers, she noticed worriedly.

  “You need to talk to your parents, and make sure that they are a
ble to make it?”

  “Yes, I said that I would give them a call tonight.”

  “Good, I will see you in the morning then, and we can talk about it.”

  She had just been dismissed, she realised, and so with a little nod she turned and left the room.

  The moment the door was closed, Nick gave a little sigh, and then turned back to his computer, so that he could continue searching for the perfect ring...

  **

  “Mum, dad, I would like you to meet Nick,” Sadie said a little nervously as she led them through to Nick's living room.

  Nick stood up with a calm smile and held his hand out to them.

  He could see the worry on Sadie's face, and the guarded expression on her parents.

  “Welcome to my home, and it is very good to meet you both.”

  They each shook his hand with a slightly forced enthusiasm.

  “Thank you for having us, and it is always very nice to meet any... friend? Of Sadie's.” her mum said uncertainly

  “Please come and sit down... and what can I get for you to drink?”

  “I'm driving I am afraid, so just a tonic water for me, please.” Sadie's dad requested politely.

  “Can I have a vodka and tonic, please,” Sadie's mum asked.

  “Of course,” he nodded and looked across at Sadie. “What can I get for you?” he asked her warmly.

  “I'll have a vodka too, please, but with lemonade?”

  While Nick was fixing the drinks, the doorbell rang.

  “That will be Nancy and co; shall I get it, Nick?”

  “If you could, Sadie – thanks.”

  The stiffly formal atmosphere seemed to dissolve with the entrance of Nancy and little Pete, and Rob.

  Firstly because the little boy was all excited to see his grandparents again; and he was also delighted to be in Nick's home.

  And Sadie's parents were also quick to see the warm handshake that was exchanged between Nick and Rob. And the very warm and enthusiastic kiss, that Nancy gave to Nick.

  It helped them no end to see the casual friendliness between their daughters and the men in their lives.

  There were no undercurrents at all it seemed. And if Nancy had harboured any doubts at all about this new man in Sadie's life, then they felt sure that she would have been quick to show it.

  Once they started to relax, and the conversation began to flow, the evening turned into a roaring success for all of them.

  The dinner had been delicious, and when Sadie's mother had tried to compliment her daughter, she had been surprised at the guilty colour that flooded her daughter’s cheeks.

  “Well actually I was only the chef's helper tonight. It was Nick who did all of the cooking!”

  It caused a gentle laughter around the table, and some teasing of Sadie’s ability to find a man who could cook so well.

  It was a fun meal, and very soon after the dinner, little Pete began to yawn tiredly, and when he curled up on his mother’s lap, he was asleep in moments.

  “Now then, mother and father,” Nancy said, after she had laid the sleeping child down on a sofa in the corner of the living room. “We all want to hear all about your cruise!”

  Nick and Sadie waved her parents off as they stood arm in arm in his doorway.

  “So what did you think?” Sadie’s mum asked her dad, as he drove down the dark road.

  Sadie’s father shrugged, and flicked her quick glance. “I liked him,” he said simply. “I think that he could be good to her, good for her.”

  Mrs Forester gave a little sigh. “I liked him too... I just hope that we are not all kidding ourselves though.”

  “Just because one nice guy turned out to be a total monster... it doesn’t mean that is all she can pick in man.”

  “No... Oh well we shall just have to wait and see, won’t we?” Sadie’s mother shrugged her shoulders, and they finished their ride home in silence.

  Back at Nick’s place, Sadie was wrapped in Nick’s arms, as he kissed her like he had never kissed her before. He kissed her with such a burning hunger that he had her trembling all over.

  “Stay the night with me?” he asked her longingly. “Stay the rest of your life with me?” he begged, totally shocking her after his arms length treatment of recent days.

  She froze in his arms as she looked up at him blankly. Just what was it that he was asking of her?

  He saw the doubt and confusion immediately and smiled a sad little smile.

  “Stay the night,” he asked quietly. “I know I have been a little distant lately, and I want to make it up to you... please stay the night with me, in my home, in my bed?”

  Chapter Twenty

  Over the next week, Nick spent every evening that he could with Sadie, and she spent more time at his house than she did at her own.

  She had met his cousin Phillip, on the Saturday, after the dinner party, and she had like him a lot.

  They took a quick look around his empty flat, and Sadie pulled out a tape measure and notebook, and whizzed around making notes, as the two men followed in her wake. She noticed the little camper bed in the otherwise empty bedroom, and felt a rush of sympathy for the young man. Nick had no such concerns however.

  “I can see that you wasted no time in moving in here,” he said to Phillip, “so let’s see how fast we can turn it into a proper home for you.” He then piled them both into his car to go shopping.

  Phillip had managed to save just over a thousand pounds, and Nick decided that since Christmas was so close, he would match Phillip’s thousand and add another as well.

  “But that is too much,” Phillip protested heatedly.

  “I can afford it cousin of mine, I have no family of my own... yet, but you are my blood, and so rather than it sitting in a bank account achieving nothing, I would like to help you to set up a nice first home for yourself.”

  Nick smiled a slow smile. “You and Uncle Arthur are the only two members of my family that I would care to know, and I want to help you... if you will let me.”

  He sounded so wistful that even Sadie wanted to surrender to him, and Phillip was no more immune to him either.

  “Well if you are sure?”

  “Good that’s settled then.” Nick said smugly, and Sadie shot him a quick suspicious look.

  It was a very productive day. They went to the nearest electrical store, where Nick ordered a washing machine and a cooker, and a fridge freezer.

  Next they went to a furniture store, where a proper bed and sofa suite were ordered.

  Nick’s budget was pretty much exhausted by now, but he insisted on taking them to the carpet shop where carpets were ordered, and booked in for fitting on the following Monday.

  This left Phillip to pay for the paints which he purchased on Sadie’s suggestions, after his sofa had been picked, and the carpets chosen.

  He was such a gentle giant of a young man, and as they walked around the warehouse, Phillip listened to her ideas about colour schemes, and the pros and cons of paint against wallpaper.

  A quick stop off for curtains and bedding, and they were ready to call it a day, upon which Nick took them both to the nearest pub for a cooked dinner before taking Phillip back to his flat.

  *

  “We are all spending Christmas day, at Nancy’s,” she told Nick after they had dropped Phillip off at his new flat, with the promise that they would be round bright and early on the following morning, and ready to do some painting.

  “I’m sure that Nancy can fit in two extra seats at the dinner table?”

  “We haven’t actually spoken about Christmas yet, have we?” Nick murmured thoughtfully. “But if your sister is happy to take pity on me and my poor cousin, that I will be delighted to accept on both of our behalves.”

  Sadie chuckled. “I’ll pop round when we get back to your house, and make sure that it will be okay.”

  *

  “It will be more than okay,” Nancy declared enthusiastically. “The more the merrier in my eyes; and s
ome young blood would help to offset the older blood of our parents, and Rob’s parents, and a couple of Rob’s aged aunts as well.”

  She rolled her eyes, as she did some mental sums in her head. “Yes, we can set up the table in the back room, and extend it all the way... we could get a smaller table perhaps for the children, for little Pete, and Rob’s sister and her husband will be coming with their two kids... I could invite the cousins, Belinda and Lindsey – Lindsey has got her little boy as well, and I bet that neither of them have made in plans yet...”

  Sadie left Nancy to make her own plans. “I will come and sleep at your house on Christmas Eve,” she promised. “And give a hand with it all?”

  Nancy grinned. “You know that you are more than welcome, but surely right next door is close enough – since you seem to be pretty much living there these days anyway?”

  **

  The next day as she helped young Phillip to paint his flat, Sadie formally invited Nick and Phillip to Christmas dinner at her sister’s house.

  “There are going to be quite a lot of us I think,” Sadie told the shy young man. “But it should be fun as well.”

  “You could come and spend Christmas Eve night at my house,” Nick declared jovially, to Phillip. “I have that spare room, it’s been crying out to be used, for some time now.”

  Phillip glanced at Sadie and his brown eyes still looked uncertain in his plain face.

  He was a giant of a young man, strong and lumbering, but his eyes were soft and gentle and Sadie felt a rush of protective affection for him.

  “Well if you are sure that I wouldn’t be intruding?” he said slowly.

  She smiled a wide a confident smile. “I am really sure, that we would all love to have you – both over for Christmas dinner.”

  *

  “Since you will be spending Christmas Eve with Phillip, I said that I would sleep at Nancy’s and help her get things ready. I will lock up and drive across to Nancy's on Christmas Eve morning, and maybe see you there?”

  He scowled irritably. “I really wanted to spend Christmas Eve with you.”